Return from the Underworld: The Orpheus Mosaic from Newton St Loe

Discover the Orpheus Mosaic from Newton St Loe, one of the museum's largest Roman objects. This is only the second time it has been on public show in more than 150 years. The Orpheus mosaic was discovered in a Roman Villa at Newton St. Loe during the construction of the Bristol to Bath section of Brunel’s Great Western Railway in 1837. Several mosaic floors were found including this one, which illustrates the story of Orpheus, a mythical poet and musician, charming a circle of wild animals. Roman mosaic floor designs which show Orpheus within a circle of animals are only found in Britain. The floor from Newton St. Loe is one of only nine ever to have been identified and may be the earliest, dating to between the late AD 200s and early AD 300s. The sense of movement achieved in the animals and the elaborate colouring of the figure of Orpheus is unparalleled. The mosaic will be located in the Balcony Gallery on the first floor.

Source: http://www.culture24.org.uk/sw000007?id=EVENT446132